Why Does it Have to be an Old Mill?. Review on State and Main Movie

Clever, quotable, and funny David Mamet's dialogue is loved by performers because of its literate substance. ''State and Main'' like ''Day for Night'' is a look on the inside of the very crazy business of putting together a film and there are some real funny gems in this flic.

Mamet's characters are always after something, and the reason he is so popular with actors is his ability to write very ''playable'' lines. The DVD of ''State and Main'' a rare comedy from the writer/director has a wonderful ensemble of actors presenting a wacky and at times cock-eyed version of the filmmaking world.

Anyone who has ever worked on an independent film crew will find a rueful pleasure in the characterizations auteur Mamet gains from his actors.

The story is about a film crew on location directed by Walt Price (William H. Macy) in the back woods of Waterford, Vermont having been run out of another town in New Hampshire for murky salacious reasons, but it is hinted that lead actor Bob Barrenger (Alex Baldwin) may have had some sort of personal tryst with a young (very young... below the age of consent) citizen. Walt Price has to find a location to fit the title of the film he's directing, ''The Old Mill'', and this town reportedly has such a landmark. After the film rents out the hotel and sets up shop, they find out that the old mill of the town that is listed in historic literature for the area was burned down in the 1970s as part of some rumored conspiracy, one that actually was responsible for the forming of the Waterford Huskies, the local fire department. The screenwriter Joseph Turner White (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) is brought in for rewrites. He is eclectic- only writes with an actual typewriter, and goes to the local resale shop to find one. There he meets Ann Black the owner of the shop and through their love for ''theatre'' (she has a copy of White's fist real stage play), they form an attraction for each other and begin to fall in love. Love in this world is a brittle thing, but not beyond the grasp of two kindred souls like Ann and Joseph, and amidst all the shenanigans, their relationship is something that weathers the test of any and all conflicts. This screwball comedy escalates to a fast and furious pace as Barrenger hooks up with youngster waitress Carla (Julia Stiles), and is ultimately arrested for child abuse by Ann's fiancée and local politician Doug McKenzie (Clark Gregg) seeking a trophy for his climb up the local political mountain. Added to this lead actress Claire Wellesley (Sarah Jessica Parker) refuses a nude scene that she agreed to do to make the film, and producer Mary Rossen (David Paymer) has to finagle some way to appease her and get his lead actor Barrenger out of jail, while also attempting to attach post-modern product placement into a period film dated in the 1800s. It all comes to a head, but happily for the pure of heart Ann Black and Joseph Turner White, and ultimately the film goes into production with the entire town turning our for extra work and emotional support for the crew and those involved.

It's all tongue-in-cheek with many a laughable moments generated from the performances, the dialogue, and this ideas that Mamet generates about the film industry and an alternate culture to be reviled as well as honored for many of the same reasons.

A few of the really good lines: (there are many more punctuated by sight gags!)

• Walt Price: “It's not a lie. It's a gift for fiction.”

  
  




• Joseph Turner White: “What's an associate producer credit?”

  
  

Bill Smith: “It's what you give to your secretary instead of a raise.”

• Bob Barrenger: “I know my lines. … I just don't know what order they come in.”

  
  




• And a great line that gets tossed around by just about every character as an exclamation point to something they’ve just said – “Go you Huskies!”

  
  

I would recommend that any film student see this as class assignment in their first year of film school, because it brings up many of the actual issues that a film company faces when making a movie, and pokes fun at them at the same time.

Mamet has the unique ability to craft very quotable lines and this film has plenty of them and very well placed, interacting with visual cues.

There is also a very nice commentary addition with the actors William Macy, Sarah Jessica Parker, David Paymer, Patti LuPone, and Clark Gregg. This is enlightening when William Macy and Sarah Jessica Parker talk about how they shot the ''Eleonora Duse'' scene in the cramped bathroom.

The commentary track is also a good source for understanding how the initial plans of a film like ''State and Main'' become re-imagined and developed due to budget. David Paymer has some good things to say about how the script initially said that his character Marty Rossen was supposed to be seen descending from a helicopter in the film, but because of lack of budget the producers have him climbing out of the beat up van we see in the movie.

This DVD also has the widescreen version available, which I recommend always because you can see the actual vista that was seen in the movie theatre when the film opened.

I found my copy on half.com for $7 dollars. If you like fine actors in humorous scenes about the film industry, see this... with a pint of Maple Syrup.